Somaliland sun – Guleid Ahmed Jama, the director of Human Rights Centre attended the Eight Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders on 4th to 6th November in Dublin, Ireland. The Platform held by Front Line Defenders was attended by 120 human rights defenders from 100 countries.

Mary Lawlor, the Executive of Front Linde Defenders in welcoming address marked the importance of the platform aimed of protecting human rights defenders at risk. Other key figures including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Frost, EU special Representative for Human Rights, Stavros Labrinidis, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, who participated in Skype, and State Minister of Trade and Development of Ireland made keynote addresses. Diplomats, international organizations and other dignitaries also attended.

Human rights defenders presented testimonies. The situation of human rights defenders of each country has been presented. The participants underlined the importance of accountability to hold responsible to those who persecute and abuse human rights defenders and to end impunity. Human rights defenders suffer arrests, harassment, killing, torture, humiliation and other brutalities. However, they continue to work in bravery an “endless task”, as one human rights defender described.

Human Rights Centre is delighted to be able to share the situation of human rights defenders in Somaliland and to learn from the other human rights defenders.